President/CEO, F2 Entertainment
You’d expect a Nashville music executive’s resume to include the likes of Keith Urban, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, and Brooks & Dunn. You might not expect to see names like Whitney Houston, Annie Lennox, Patti LaBelle, TLC and the rock band Live. Foster’s stints at labels in Los Angeles and Nashville have given him one of the most varied and eclectic backgrounds on Nashville’s Music Row.
After graduating from Nashville’s Belmont University, he joined the staff of Sony Records/Nashville working with a roster that included Rosanne Cash, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Tammy Wynette and Johnny Cash among others. In 1990, he moved to Los Angeles to work for Arista Records. At Arista, he worked with Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston, Barry Manilow, TLC, Kenny G., Annie Lennox and more.
Returning to Nashville, he took a position as Senior Vice President, Marketing for Arista Records/Nashville. In 1999 Foster was the Executive Producer of “Happy Texas” the label’s first soundtrack which earned two Grammy nominations. He left Arista to join Capitol/Nashville as Senior Vice President, Marketing, a position he held for six years, helping build the careers of artists like Keith Urban, Dierks Bentley, Eric Church and Trace Adkins.
In 2010, he co-produced the first annual AMERICAN COUNTRY AWARDS on Fox-TV. The two-hour show ran for three years and became the only purely fan-voted country awards program recognizing artists in all aspects of the industry (radio airplay, single/album sales, video airplay, online visibility and touring). In 2013, he was Executive Producer of the Alabama & Friends album and TV special (featuring the Country Music Hall of Fame group performing with other artists including Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eli Young Band, Florida George Line, Jamey Johnson, & Trisha Yearwood). The following year, Foster launched Iconic Entertainment, signing Kelsea Ballerini – an unknown singer/songwriter who garnered numerous award and nominations including a Grammy nomination for “Best New Artist”. Foster oversaw all aspects of her career including being the first female artists since Carrie Underwood to have her debut single go #1. Ballerini went on to earn 3 more #1 singles and a Top 5 single.
Foster is currently President/CEO of F2 Entertainment - a company serving all aspects of the industry including artist management, record label, music publishing, television, artist development and strategic partnerships. A Nashville-based company - but global in nature - representing all genres of music and talent. Current clients include Kim Carnes, Jessie James Decker, Levi Hummon, Kelly Paige and Runaway June.
The Kansas native is on the Board of Trustees of the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS), the Advisory Board of Gilda’s Club and the Past-President of the Board of Directors for Make-A-Wish of Middle Tennessee. He is on the Board of Directors of The Songwriter Hall of Fame, and Board of Directors of Leadership Music, the Nashville Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Council, and Chaired the Music Makes Us Advisory Board (the music education program for Nashville public schools). In 2001, he was named Belmont Alumnus of the Year. In 2003, he was named one of The Tennessean’s “Top 40 Under 40” and was selected as one of the judges for the MISS AMIERICA PAGAENT in Atlantic City, NJ. In 2009, he was inducted as an Honorary Member of the Tennessee State Museum’s Costume and Textile Institute. Additionally, he has served on the Board of the Nashville Film Festival (NaFF), Minnie Pearl Foundation, and MusiCares.